Sodium to sodium carbonate conversion process
Abstract
A method of converting radioactive alkali metal into a low level disposable solid waste material. The radioactive alkali metal is atomized and introduced into an aqueous caustic solution having caustic present in the range of from about 20 wt % to about 70 wt % to convert the radioactive alkali metal to a radioactive alkali metal hydroxide. The aqueous caustic containing radioactive alkali metal hydroxide and CO.sub.2 are introduced into a thin film evaporator with the CO.sub.2 present in an amount greater than required to convert the alkali metal hydroxide to a radioactive alkali metal carbonate, and thereafter the radioactive alkali metal carbonate is separated from the thin film evaporator as a dry powder. Hydroxide solutions containing toxic metal hydroxide including one or more metal ions of Sb, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag and T1 can be converted into a low level non-hazardous waste using the thin film evaporator of the invention.
- Inventors:
-
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871189
- Patent Number(s):
- 5678240
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01D - COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- sodium; carbonate; conversion; process; method; converting; radioactive; alkali; metal; level; disposable; solid; waste; material; atomized; introduced; aqueous; caustic; solution; range; 20; wt; 70; convert; hydroxide; containing; film; evaporator; amount; required; thereafter; separated; dry; powder; solutions; toxic; including; sb; cd; pb; hg; t1; converted; non-hazardous; caustic solution; toxic metal; conversion process; sodium carbonate; hazardous waste; waste material; alkali metal; solutions containing; solid waste; metal hydroxide; dry powder; radioactive alkali; metal carbonate; containing radioactive; metal carbon; film evaporator; hydroxide solution; aqueous caustic; oxide including; oxide solution; /588/423/
Citation Formats
Herrmann, Steven D. Sodium to sodium carbonate conversion process. United States: N. p., 1997.
Web.
Herrmann, Steven D. Sodium to sodium carbonate conversion process. United States.
Herrmann, Steven D. Wed .
"Sodium to sodium carbonate conversion process". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871189.
@article{osti_871189,
title = {Sodium to sodium carbonate conversion process},
author = {Herrmann, Steven D},
abstractNote = {A method of converting radioactive alkali metal into a low level disposable solid waste material. The radioactive alkali metal is atomized and introduced into an aqueous caustic solution having caustic present in the range of from about 20 wt % to about 70 wt % to convert the radioactive alkali metal to a radioactive alkali metal hydroxide. The aqueous caustic containing radioactive alkali metal hydroxide and CO.sub.2 are introduced into a thin film evaporator with the CO.sub.2 present in an amount greater than required to convert the alkali metal hydroxide to a radioactive alkali metal carbonate, and thereafter the radioactive alkali metal carbonate is separated from the thin film evaporator as a dry powder. Hydroxide solutions containing toxic metal hydroxide including one or more metal ions of Sb, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag and T1 can be converted into a low level non-hazardous waste using the thin film evaporator of the invention.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}